Sweet Child of Mine
by Sim Spider
Summary: Tag to Requiem. Yes, another one. The rescue has some adverse effects on Tony and some positive ones on Gibbs.
1. Chapter 1

Sweet Child of Mine

Still don't own it; although soaking wet heroic Tony would be the ultimate Christmas present…

Ziva and McGee pulled up behind Tony's car, drawing their weapons and moving cautiously to the chain link fence to see what was happening.

They arrived just in time to see the familiar shape of Tony collapse in between Gibbs and Maddy as they lay unmoving on the quay.

"Oh, God," said McGee. He pulled out his cell with shaking hands. "This is Special Agent McGee; I have two agents and one civilian down; we need backup and ambulances ASAP. Old fishery near the docks; GPS my cell." He hung up and turned to make his way towards his friends… and saw that Ziva had already left.

He found her inside the warehouse, checking the pulse on one of the two men lying on the ground.

"Ziva?"

"Clear," she said. No further communication was needed; the pair moved swiftly out to the quay, covering one another as well as their friends. By the time they got there, Tony was attempting to sit up.

"What happened, Tony?" Asked McGee, dropping to one knee beside him and struggling out of his coat.

"We went for a dip, McGee; what the hell d'you think?" DiNozzo snapped hoarsely. "Get an ambulance."

"Already on its way, boss."

Ziva busied herself rolling Gibbs into the recovery position, taking note of how cold he was; the November wind had to be cutting through his sodden clothes.

Tony pushed McGee away when he tried to wrap the coat around him. "Give it to Maddy," he said. "Gibbs?"

"He's frozen, Tony; and his breathing is shallow," said Ziva. "How long was he underwater?"

"Too long." Tony began to cough; deep, wracking coughs painful to listen to. Water trickled out of his mouth.

"What about you? You look awful," said Ziva.

"At least I'm conscious, Officer David. Go find something to cover them," he ordered her. She cast one more worried look at Tony and then jumped up and ran back towards the building as fast as she could. McGee had rolled Maddy up in his long trenchcoat and was rubbing her hands, trying to generate some warmth.

"Hug her, McGee," Tony ordered. "Body heat will help. And throw me your cell."

"I called for backup, Tony," said McGee as he embraced the young woman gingerly. Tony did the same with Gibbs.

"I need to report to the Director; and my phone needs rebooting," Tony replied, producing it. Water trickled out of the case. "Cell. Now."

"Yes, boss." McGee tossed it over; Tony barely caught it with his frozen hands and he had to concentrate to dial correctly.

"Shepard."

"Director; dirtbags dead, Maddy and Gibbs nearly drowned. They're safe but we've ordered ambulances for hypothermia. I'll give you a full account when we get back, but you can tell Abby to stop worrying."

"I'll let her know right away, Tony. Do you need more agents?"

"Already called for backup; but you can tell Metro we need divers and a crane to get the car out of the water. And tell Ducky he's got a couple guests to pick up."

"Very well. And Tony? Good job." He hung up without another word.

Ziva arrived back with a couple of blankets she'd scavenged.

"Very cosy, Tony," she said, observing his proximity to Gibbs.

"Shut up and help me wrap the boss, Ziva." Between them, they got him bundled in the cloth and then Tony helped McGee do the same with Maddy while Ziva took over being Gibbs' hot water bottle.

"Stay there and keep them warm," Tony ordered. "I'll go keep watch for the ambulance."

"But you're just as wet as they are," McGee protested.

"Which is why I'm no good to them, Probie. I'd just make them wetter; I'll run around; soon warm myself up." He took off at a jog.

"But you know what Dr Pitt said!" McGee yelled after him. Tony didn't even pause. "Is it just me, or does Tony get crazier when he's in charge?" He asked.

"Oh, he definitely does," Ziva agreed. "I think it's because he knows no one's about to slap him on the head."

Tony was all energy as he led the paramedics towards the group and organised the backup to process and secure the crime scene. He co-ordinated with the PD, reassured a frantic Abby on his borrowed cell, kept the Director updated and oversaw the evidence collection.

"Sir!" One of the EMTs called him over. "We were told there were three casualties; there's only two here."

"It was an overestimate," said Tony smoothly. "No one else needs treatment. How are they doing?"

"Both are hypothermic and they've swallowed a lot of water. We're taking them to spend the night in the hospital. Agent Gibbs is a little worse than Miss Taylor, but they should both be fine. Are you sure you're all right, Sir? You're wet through."

"I'm fine."

"You are not fine, Anthony DiNozzo," said Ducky commandingly from behind him. "McGee told me you almost passed out earlier; and you were coughing water. You know how weak your lungs are…"

"I told you, Ducky, I am fine. And I'm needed to run the crime scene; Gibbs would smack me silly if I ran off to hospital and something went wrong…"

"Timothy and Ziva are perfectly capable of dealing with any problems and you know it, Anthony. Go on; the last thing you need is to pick up another chest infection."

"You have a history of respiratory illness?" Asked the paramedic.

"Hardly any," replied Tony breezily.

Ducky reached up and smacked him firmly across the head. "If I ever hear of you lying to a medical professional again, Tony, I'll stick you with so many needles you won't sit down for a week!"

"Hey, it was not a lie. It was one time!"

"You had pneumonic plague, Tony! You almost died!"

The EMT's eyes widened. "_Pneumonic plague?"_

"Long story," said Tony dismissively.

"As your doctor, Tony, I am telling you to go to hospital before you keel over," ordered Ducky. "And if you are stubborn enough to refuse, I'll have Gibbs smack you silly."

"Ok, ok; I'll let these guys do their thing," Tony replied ungraciously. "But I'm not going to hospital unless it's absolutely necessary."

"For goodness' sake, man; be sensible. If you're laid up with another serious chest infection, who is going to keep an eye on Jethro? If it wasn't for you, he'd almost certainly be dead."

"Good point. All right. But I'm keeping McGee's cell; you call me if anything happens."

Ducky's hand disappeared behind his back to hide his crossed fingers. "Certainly I will." He waited for the reluctant patient to be led away to the waiting ambulance before pulling out his own phone.

"Bradley? It's Doctor Mallard. I'm afraid Anthony has done something rather stupid again…"

TBC.


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks for all your reviews, guys; I love to read them.

Tweeter; you thought it was better than your own story? How is that even possible?

There is some minor Gibbs / Mann in this chapter, but nothing beyond cannon.

When Gibbs woke, he was lying in hospital, Colonel Mann sitting anxiously at his bedside.

"Holly?" He managed.

"Jethro; you're awake at last," she said in relief, hugging his blanket wrapped form warmly.

"Can't breathe, Hol," he managed.

She released him. "Oh. Sorry."

"Don't worry about it. How's Maddy?"

"In better shape than you. She's being released in a few hours. Whatever possessed you to go and try to buy her freedom alone, without even telling anyone where you were going?"

"Didn't want any of my team getting in trouble for a personal case."

"You should've known that wouldn't stop them. Director Shepard told me Tony saved your lives. He's just down the hall and very pissed about it, according to Ducky."

"What?" Gibbs sat up, eyes widening in concern. "Is he hurt? Is it his lungs again?" He began to struggle out of the layers of wrappings around him.

"They were worried about his breathing; they called in some expert consultant…"

"Doctor Pitt?" Gibbs' struggles intensified.

"Get back in that bed, Leroy Jethro Gibbs," ordered Ducky wearily, entering the room. "Honestly; you and Anthony are as bad as one another." Gibbs ceased his wrestling with the coverings as Ducky slumped, exhausted, into a chair.

"How is he, Duck?" He asked urgently. "Is he sick again?"

"Not yet; but I wouldn't be surprised. He tried very hard to avoid medical treatment and ran the crime scene soaked to the skin and with dirty water still in his lungs. His temperature's still not where I'd like it to be and he has been coughing a good deal. Bradley should be here any minute to consult and I'm hopeful he'll order Tony to stay in hospital for a few days in case of infection. Goodness knows I've worn myself out trying to persuade him."

"I'll talk to him when I get out of here. He'll follow my orders more than any doctor's."

"Well, that was certainly true last time, Jethro."

"What about the dirtbags?"

"Both waiting in my drawers at home. Anthony's work again; one shot three times, the other twice. He missed twice as well, though; most unlike him. But then he was moving at some speed to try to reach you and Maddy in time. I understand he dived in to pull you both out of a sinking car."

"Yeah; he had to punch out the windshield to get to Maddy, take her to the surface and then come back for me. I was trapped under the steering column."

"And then he had to resuscitate both of you, single handed, despite his own breathing difficulties. I've already recommended to the Director that he be rewarded for his bravery."

"I'll second it once I've signed myself out, Duck. Go get the paperwork, willya?"

"I will not. You almost died, Jethro; and you can't order Anthony to stay while you sign yourself out. At the very least, stay until morning. You can get some more sleep, and keep an eye on our poor boy."

"Ducky's right, Jethro," said Mann. "The best thing you can do for Tony and yourself is to stay here a while."

"All right," said Gibbs reluctantly. "But I'll need coffee."

Dawn was just breaking as Gibbs slipped into Tony's room, coffee in hand. As always, in sleep Tony looked younger, and somehow vulnerable. Childlike. The sight caused a sharp stab of pain in Gibbs' chest.

This is my fault. I put Tony here; I did this to him. Because I acted like a father and not a cop, Tony's lying here with his lungs compromised again and if he dies… if he dies, I'll have lost another child. I can't let that happen. I can't lose anyone else; I can't lose Tony…

"Ahh, dammit, DiNozzo; what am I gonna do with you?" He breathed, scrubbing a hand through his hair.

"Pizza'd be nice, boss," Tony replied, without a trace of sleepiness in his voice. "How's Maddy?"

"Fine. She's being released in a couple hours." Gibbs took a moment to seat himself in a chair at Tony's side before he continued.

"You took one hell of a risk, coming in after me," he said.

Tony's eyes opened and narrowed on Gibbs. "You saying it's not what you'dve done, if it was me trapped in that car?"

"Not the same thing, DiNozzo."

"Sure it is, boss. We've been working together more than six years; you save my ass, I save yours. 'S how it is."

"You're not meant to have to save me, Tony."

"Like Kate wasn't, when she took that bullet to the vest on the rooftop?"

"Like she wasn't when Ari put a bullet in her head, DiNozzo. You could have died."

"Technically speaking, Boss, you did die for a minute there. And I'd rather catch cold than have to go to your funeral any day."

The pair locked gazes, Tony determined, Gibbs exasperated. Finally, the older man broke the silence.

"You're a brave man, Tony DiNozzo," he said.

"Thank you, Boss," said Tony.

"You're also an idiot."

Tony grinned. "Hey, you knew that when you hired me."

"Yeah; I did." Gibbs produced something from his pocket and laid it on the nightstand. "Your new cell. Get some sleep." He rose to go and then turned back. "Oh, and DiNozzo?"

"Yes, boss?" Said Tony expectantly.

Gibbs smacked him on the head. "If you ever do anything that stupid ever again, I'll kill you myself," he warned gruffly.

Tony only smiled; he understood the sentiment Gibbs couldn't put into words. "I gotcha, Boss," he said.

Tell me what you thought.


	3. Chapter 3

Massive thanks for all of your reviews, guys.

Sorry it took me a couple days to get this up; RL attacked in the form of a long and complicated essay.

/\/\/\

Gibbs slipped into Maddy's room. The young woman was sleeping peacefully; he smiled to see her relaxed features, so like Kelly when he watched her sleep, so many years ago now. The dawn sunlight streaming in through her window picked out the red highlights in her hair, strengthening the resemblance to his beloved daughter. His features sobered as he remembered why she was here.

If it wasn't for Tony, Maddy would be dead. And it was his fault. He had broken one of his own golden rules and allowed himself to become too close to a case; and that had jeopardised its outcome. Gibbs couldn't even begin to forgive himself for that. And Tony deserved a lot more than a smack on the head for cleaning up his mess.

Gibbs left Maddy to sleep and called into the office for an update from the payphone in the corridor. Jenny had been relieved to hear from him; apparently the news of Tony's heroic rescue was all over the office and she was being continually badgered for information on how they were all doing. McGee had filled him in on the investigation; it appeared to be airtight, even without witness statements, and with all of the bad guys dead all he and Ziva had to do was deal with the paperwork.

And then it was Abby's turn.

"Ducky?" She said urgently.

"'Fraid not, Abbs. I could go get him…"

"Gibbs! You're awake! Oh, I was so worried! How could you go off on your own like that and make Tony jump in the water to save you and nearly get yourself killed! If Tony did that you would so kick his ass and…"

"Abby!" Gibbs interrupted her rant. "How much caffeine have you had?"

"Well, everyone heard about what happened and they knew I'd be worried so they all kept dropping by with Caff Pow and you know I get thirsty when I'm worried…"

"Relax, Abby; I'm fine and so is Maddy. We're being released this morning; Tony might have to stay a little longer because of his lungs."

"But he is OK, right? He's not sick again?"

"Not so far, but the doctors want to keep an eye on him. You know DiNozzo never looks after himself."

"Oh, I know. Have you talked to him yet? Because he'll do what you tell him even if he really doesn't want to and I'm sure you want to say thank you for what he did."

"I've talked to him."

"And you did say thank you, right?"

"Thank you isn't enough, Abbs." Gibbs sighed deeply. "But I've been thinking…"

"Gibbs! I know you don't do expressing your feelings but you really, really need to say something to Tony. I mean, you two used to be really close and now you hardly talk and you never tell him when he's done good any more…"

"I know, Abbs. I'm working on it." Gibbs hung up, leaning against the vomit green wall with a sigh. How could he possibly repay Tony for this?

"Agent Gibbs!" Gibbs turned to see Brad Pitt heading towards him.

"Dr Pitt. How's Tony doing?"

"Well, there's nothing wrong with his stubborn streak. He's insisting he's fine."

"Sounds like DiNozzo."

"Problem is, he's trying to sign himself out. And I really don't think it's a good idea. His temperature's starting to rise above where it should be and his lungs have some definite signs of congestion."

"How bad?" Gibbs asked in concern.

"Bad enough to do further damage; maybe serious damage. I was hoping you could give him another pep talk."

"I don't give pep talks, Doc," said Gibbs, brushing past him as he headed towards Tony's room. "I give orders."

"Well, whatever works," said Brad to his rapidly retreating back.

/\/\/\

When Gibbs arrived back in Tony's room, he found the younger man already up and moving in a set of borrowed blue scrubs.

"What the hell d'you think you're doing, DiNozzo?" He asked.

"Leaving, boss," he replied cheerfully. "See you back at the office." He made to move past, but Gibbs held out an arm to block the doorway so Tony walked into it.

"Think again," he said commandingly.

"Oh, c'mon, Gibbs!" Tony protested. "I'm fine! Brad said my temperature was back up and…"

He stopped talking as Gibbs raised his other hand to rest on his forehead; it was warm and slightly sweaty under his palm.

"You're feverish, Tony. That is not fine. Get your ass back in that bed or I'll break both your legs so you can't escape."

"It's just hot in here," Tony defended sulkily. Gibbs' hand moved to the back of his head and smacked him firmly.

"Yes, boss," Tony capitulated, moving back to the bed. "Stupid doctors," he grumbled. "They're never happy; one minute I'm too cold, next I'm too hot and they still wanna keep me cooped up and prod me."

"They want to keep you healthy, DiNozzo. And you are going to stay right here until Dr Pitt says you can leave. Clear?"

"Aww, boss!" Tony whined. "You know I hate these places…"

Gibbs's features softened briefly. "Yeah, Tony, I know," he said. "All the escape attempts last time gave me a clue. 'Specially the one where you convinced that hot nurse you had to go home and take care of your sick mother."

"It would've worked, too; if you hadn't showed up just as I was leaving, gone all Marine on the poor girl and made her cry. Brad got me all male nurses after that."

"Tony," said Gibbs, more gently than before, "you know you can't afford to get sick again. Please?"

"Wow, boss. I don't think you've ever said please to me before." Gibbs let a little of his concern show in his eyes; and Tony gave in, as he knew he would.

"Ok, boss. I'll be a good boy and let the nice doctors poke me. But you have to get me some real food. No way am I living off hospital mush and Jell-O. And a laptop so I can write my report. And some DVDs so I don't get bored. And…"

"I'll see what I can do. Get some rest, DiNozzo. I've got to go have my final check up before they let me go."

"You mean you didn't already sign yourself out?" Asked, Tony, astonished. "You always sign yourself out early!"

"Not this time. Case is pretty well wrapped up; I'm not in any hurry."

"Well that's a first. I bet Ducky's creeped out." Gibbs reached for the back of his head again, but instead of the expected smack he stroked the soft brown hair gently.

"Get better, Tony. I need my Senior Field Agent back on the job."

A soft, bashful smile appeared on Tony's slightly flushed features. "You got it, boss," he said. His gaze was distracted by a movement near the door.

"Maddy?" He said, seeing the slender figure of the girl standing awkwardly on the threshold.

"Um, hi. Is this a bad time?"

"Nah; I was just leaving," said Gibbs. "Now DiNozzo's promised to behave himself for the doctors."

"You're staying?" She asked, surprised. "I thought they were letting us all go."

"I was pretty sick a couple years ago; they're really paranoid about me getting another bug," Tony replied lightly. "How are you feeling?"

"Ok, considering I nearly drowned." Only Tony picked up Gibbs' flinch. "Thanks to you."

"Hey; no need to thank me," said Tony modestly. "I was just doing my job."

"You saved my life; someone you'd never even met before, and risked your own to do it." There was something approaching awe in the girl's voice. "Thank you, Agent DiNozzo."

"Tony. Everyone calls me Tony; even the boss sometimes. And you're welcome."

"C'mon, Maddy, said Gibbs. We'd better leave the patient to get some rest." He mock glared at Tony. "And do not even think about making trouble for the staff, or I really will break your legs."

"I gotcha, boss." Tony settled himself down into the bed. "Don't forget my pizza."

/\/\/\

Any thoughts?


	4. Chapter 4

Thank you again for all the lovely reviews; here's the next chapter…

All mechanical facts come from Wikipedia; if they're not right… well, never mind.

/\/\/\

Ziva David slammed her desk phone down in frustration, muttering an Israeli expletive under her breath.

"Hospital still won't give you any information, huh," said McGee, more calmly.

"No. When after thirty minutes, the receptionist takes me off hold she just tells me she can't tell me anything and hangs up. I can't even get the morons to take a message for Tony's doctor to call me!" She slammed her palms down on the wood with a thud. "That is it. I'm going down there." She rose and began to gather her things.

"What makes you think going in person will make them tell you how Tony is?"

"Because, McGee, I will tell them I am his girlfriend, pretend to cry and manipulate my way in to see him. It is a very effective technique."

"Wouldn't if I were you, Ziva," said Gibbs, breezing in, coffee in hand, to sit at his desk. "DiNozzo'll never let you forget it."

"Boss!" Said McGee. "I didn't think you'd be in today. Are you OK?"

"Four years and you didn't think I'd come in, McGee? I'm fine; doctors want to keep Tony for observation."

"How is Tony?" Asked Ziva, concern leaking out around her carefully blank expression.

"Feverish; he picked up some kind of bug in the water. Doctors won't let him out until it's cleared up."

"Is he in danger?" She asked, her hold on her emotions starting to slip.

"Only from me, if he tries to sign himself out again," said Gibbs darkly.

"Again?" Ziva's fear had been replaced with confusion.

"When he had the plague, Tony kept trying to escape from the hospital," McGee explained. "He really hated it in there."

"Still does, McGee. Ziva, Maddy's in conference room one; go take her statement."

"But Gibbs; I was just going to see Tony…" He gave her the patented Gibbs glare. "And now I am going to take Maddy's statement," she finished for herself, dropping her coat and bag and grabbing a notebook.

"McGee; any developments I should know about?"

"Abby said she had something, boss; and the Director wants to see you ASAP."

/\/\/\

For once, Gibbs knocked on Jenny's door instead of just striding in.

"Special Agent Gibbs," she said sternly, as he closed it behind him.

"Director Shepard," he replied, more respectfully than normal. Gibbs knew he was going to get a dressing down; and he knew that he deserved it.

"Your behaviour on this case has been reckless, irresponsible and completely in breach of protocol, Gibbs," she said firmly. "Agents have been dismissed for less."

"I know," he replied heavily. "I fired some of 'em."

"However, considering your long and exemplary service history with the agency and your emotional attachment to the victim, I have decided you may keep your job. But don't think I'm letting you off."

"Never did, Director. I screwed up; should've told you what I was doing and taken backup."

"Yes, Gibbs, you should. Try anything like this again, and you're out the door." Her voice became calmer, more businesslike, as she continued. "As soon as the facts are established and your report finalised, I will write a severe reprimand for your file; and as of when you hand in that report, you are on suspension. I will expect your badge and gun on my desk by the end of the day."

"You'll have it," Gibbs said resignedly. "How long?"

"Three weeks. Be grateful it isn't more."

"I am. I would also like to take this opportunity to recommend Agent DiNozzo for a commendation for bravery."

"Noted. As soon as I'm done with your reprimand, I'll write him up for his exceptional actions. Is Agent DiNozzo here?"

"The doctors wanted to keep him in; he's caught some bug and they're worried about his lungs."

"I hope he gets better soon; I was counting on him to fill in for you while you're away. Something else he excels at, as you'll recall," she added acerbically.

"I remember. He's good at his job, Jen; you should give him that damn award you're always trying to pass off to me."

"Well, you're certainly off the shortlist after this, Jethro. Go write that report and then get some sleep. You look like you need it."

Gibbs stood and saluted smartly enough to make the most psychotic drill sergeant proud. "Yes, Ma'am."

/\/\/\

Gibbs didn't find Abby in her lab; he went down to the garage and spotted her platforms sticking out from under the car that had so nearly been his tomb. He paused momentarily, remembering that awful moment as the cabin filled with water and then Tony diving in like a guardian angel. The sense of relief as he took Maddy to the surface, only briefly interrupted as he found he couldn't follow. The thought that if he were going to die, at least she was safe. And then waking up on the planking, her green eyes meeting his blue ones… and then he remembered where he was.

Gibbs crouched down beside the boots and rattled the ice in the Caff Pow he'd brought. "Whatcha got, Abbs?" He asked.

"Gibbs!" There was a thud. "Ow!" Abby pushed herself out on her trolley and rubbed at the dirty mark on her forehead. "You're here!" She sat up and hugged him, nearly causing Gibbs to overbalance.

"Abby, I'm going to spill your soda," he managed through her vicelike grip.

"I don't care; if I drink another one I might start twitching from overcaffeination. Oh; I am so glad to see you! How are you? Are you OK?"

"Be better if I could breathe, Abby." She released him immediately.

"Oh. Sorry. But you are OK, right? You're not hurt?"

"I'm fine, Abbs; so's Maddy. And Tony will be in a few days. They're just worried he's caught cold."

"Tony's sick? Why didn't anyone tell me!"

"Because," He said, settling his aching knees so he was sitting cross legged on the concrete, "you're so juiced up on caffeine they don't wanna upset you in case you hit them. Tony will be fine; I promise. Now; you told McGee you had something?"

"A new appreciation for all that muscle Tony's carrying around with him," she replied seriously. "Even with the bulletholes, windshields are designed to take a lot of punishment. The force he needed to pull it out must've been unbelievable; especially underwater. And then I checked out the steering. Something's seriously hinky there; it was damaged from the impact with the barrier, but there's no way that could've caused the rack and pinion linkage to disengage. It's almost like someone took hold of the wheel and yanked it up, pulling the gears clean out of the sockets; but a person would have to be, like, the Incredible Hulk to do that while they were on land, let alone diving."

"I was stuck under the steering wheel, Abbs," said Gibbs, distantly, realising how much strength it would take for someone to perform a feat like that. The kind that only comes with devotion; with love so strong it can overcome all physical barriers. "Tony must've broken it to free me after I passed out."

"You passed out underwater? But that means you drowned, Gibbs! Please, don't tell me Tony had to do CPR on you as well…"

Gibbs only looked at her, his face filled with honest amazement at the lengths Tony would go to for him.

"Oh, Gibbs," Abby said, snuggling up to his side; he automatically dropped an arm around her, pressing a kiss into her hair. "Promise you'll never do this to me again. I can't lose you; I just can't."

"I'll try, Abby," he told her gently. "I'll try."

/\/\/\

Some hours later, a de-badged, gun-free Leroy Jethro Gibbs walked back into Tony's hospital room carrying a well-stocked overnight bag for his young agent. He still didn't know how he could show his appreciation for Tony's near miraculous rescue; but he was damn well going to try.

Or he would have, if the bed wasn't empty.

Gibbs turned back to the nurse's station, anxiety fuelling his steps.

"Anthony DiNozzo," he barked at the young blonde on duty. "He's not in his room."

"Are you a relative, sir?" She asked, with a smile.

"Yes. Now where the hell is he?"

"Let me see…" she consulted her computer slowly. "Was that DiNozzo with two zees?"

"Yes," Gibbs all but yelled at her. She seemed oblivious to his growing blind rage.

"I'm afraid Mr DiNozzo's condition has worsened, sir," the girl said placidly. "He was moved up to ICU twenty minutes ago."

"What? Why didn't anyone call me?"

"Well, sir, it could be that he doctors have been too busy trying to help your son…"

Gibbs interrupted impatiently. "Which room?"

"Um… it says here 212, sir; but I'm afraid visiting hours are over in ICU…" She was talking to empty air. Gibbs was already halfway down the corridor and still accelerating.

/\/\/\

Yes, another cliff. I can't help it. One more chapter to come, I think…


	5. Chapter 5

Thank you, again, for all your wonderful reviews. Hope you like this one too…

/\/\/\

Gibbs stormed through the doors to ICU like a thunderclap, scanning for Doctor Pitt. He found him soon enough, right outside the door of room 212, examining a chart with a worried expression.

"Dr Pitt! What the hell is going on? Why didn't you call me?"

"I tried. You weren't picking up your cell." Gibbs pulled it out of his pocket, held it up… and then held it further away so he could read the screen. _5 missed calls._

"Damn phone must be set to silent again; God I hate these things," he said vehemently. "What happened?"

"Started with a slight fever, headache, sore throat, infrequent coughing, muscle aches and tiredness. About an hour ago, Tony's temperature started to spike. It's up to 103.8 and still rising. He's pretty out of it; somewhere between sleep and unconsciousness. I think he's dreaming; keeps calling out for Kate." Brad paused, remembering the brave, beautiful woman he'd known for so short a time.

Gibbs caught his breath at the name. "What d'you think he has?" He said, almost afraid to ask.

Brad went back into professional mode, but he couldn't conceal the worry in his voice. "At this stage, it's difficult to tell. It's probably viral; I've ordered a second round of blood tests in case the first set didn't have enough of a sample to show it up. If I had to guess… it's probably the flu, or something similar."

"Don't sugar coat it for me, Doctor," the NCIS agent growled. "How worried should I be?"

"Tony's immune system was pretty battered by the plague, Gibbs," Brad replied sadly. "Chances are, any illness will hit him harder than average. And the condition his lungs are in… It's entirely possible the infection could turn into pneumonia. If that happens…"

"He could die," finished Gibbs softly.

/\/\/\

Gibbs stepped into the room, his gaze transfixed by the figure in the bed. Tony was shifting restlessly, almost dislodging the numerous cold packs trying to bring down his fever. The harsh fluorescent lighting picked out the beads of sweat on his flushed features and gleamed off the nasal canula taped to his cheeks. Guilt welled up in Gibbs' chest like the water that had so nearly killed him; Tony could die, and it was his fault.

"Kate!" Tony called out weakly, desperately, voice scratchy and hoarse. "Kate! Come back! Where are you? Kate!"

Swallowing down his own emotions, Gibbs followed his paternal instincts to Tony's side.

"Shh," he said softly, stroking the sweat soaked hair back from Tony's burning forehead. "Shh, Tony; it's ok; I'm here. Shh…"

Instantly, Tony's movements stilled under his touch.

"Gibbs," he said, voice so full of trust and relief it brought a lump to Gibbs' throat.

"Go to sleep, Tony," the older man told him gently. "I've got your six."

And that was all it took; Tony sighed, a faint smile twitching his lips, and settled into a sleep that if not peaceful, was at least silent.

"Unbelievable," muttered Dr Pitt from outside the door, shaking his head.

/\/\/\

Gibbs was just standing over his agent, one hand clutching Tony's, the other stroking his hair soothingly. Brad entered carrying a chair, causing Gibbs to look around, a hand going instinctively to where his gun would have been.

"Easy, Gibbs," the doctor said quietly. "I was just bringing you this." He waved the chair a little. "Since I really doubt I'm going to be able to convince you to leave anytime soon."

"You thought right, Doc," Gibbs replied firmly, turning back to Tony, who had begun to stir at their voices. Brad put the seat down beside him.

"I'm just going to check up on how he's doing," he said, turning to consult the various machines Tony was wired up to.

"Any change?" Gibbs asked anxiously.

"Not really. His temperature hasn't risen any further, at least. Looks like you're good for his health."

"Trust me; I'm not," said Gibbs. "If I hadn't been so damn stupid Tony wouldn't be here."

Brad wisely didn't respond to the heavy self-contempt in his voice.

"I've spoken to the night staff; and it took some doing, but I've convinced them you need to stay with Tony," he said. "Nurses will be coming in every half hour or so to check on him, but if you notice any changes, just push the call button. I'm going to get a catnap while I can; I have a feeling this is gonna be a long night."

/\/\/\

Tony began to cough weakly; Gibbs rose immediately and put an arm under his young subordinate, lifting him into a sitting position to help ease his breathing. He'd done the same thing many times while Tony was recovering from the plague. Gibbs had kept a close eye on Tony during his recovery; dropping around to his place every night to deliver pizza or Chinese and see how much the young man was lying when he said he was fine.

The familiar action seemed to soothe Tony. He coughed himself out and then leaned back into Gibbs' arms, using him as a backrest. Wanting to offer as much comfort as possible, Gibbs let him, easing up so he was half sitting on the bed behind Tony. The young man sighed in contentment, snuggling close. Gibbs found himself just holding on, supporting him. He was reminded of Kelly's bout of chicken pox, when she was six years old. He'd been home on leave and when she was sick, all she'd wanted was for her Daddy to stay close and hug her until she fell asleep.

And then, without quite knowing what he was doing, he found himself starting to sing softly, words that had once been nothing but heartache to him. But somehow, here and now, for Tony, they seemed right.

"_Hush little baby, don't say a word, _

_Papa's gonna buy you a mockingbird. _

_And if that mockingbird won't sing, _

_Papa's gonna buy you a diamond ring…"_

"I'm sorry, Tony, I'm sorry. Please, come back to me… I can't lose you too… please…"

/\/\/\

Even when he was sleeping, Gibbs had never lost the knack of sensing another person's presence; it had saved his life more than once. His eyes snapped open to see Brad Pitt standing at his side, changing Tony's IV bag.

"Back with us at last, Agent Gibbs," he said quietly, so as not to disturb Tony. "You know, that's really not good for your back," he added, observing Gibbs' awkward position critically..

"How's Tony?" He asked, ignoring his own discomfort as he looked down at the sleeping form in his arms.

"His fever's broken; he's almost back down to normal now," Brad smiled. "He's going to be OK."

"You're sure?"

"Positive. Danger's passed; a few days convalescence and he'll be back to his usual annoying self."

"Thank God," said Gibbs, with feeling.

"Don't sell yourself short, Gibbs; Tony's done nothing but improve since you got here." Brad yawned widely. "Ugh. Now he's out of danger, I'm going to go get some real sleep. You should think about doing the same; and I don't mean here."

"No; I'm staying. I want to be here when he wakes."

"Why do I get the feeling arguing isn't going to help me here?" Asked Brad rhetorically.

"Probably because it's not," he answered anyway. "And Doc? Thanks," said Gibbs, sincerely.

"You're more than welcome, Gibbs; Tony's my friend too."

Gibbs shifted, stretching out a cramping leg muscle while trying not to upset the sleeping patient. It had indeed been a long night. Tony had been coughing and sweating for most of it; and sometimes he seemed to dream, crying out and even fighting against Gibbs' comforting arms.

All the time, the only thing that could soothe him was Gibbs' voice, talking to him and sometimes singing softly; lullabies that hadn't passed his lips in fifteen long years. It had been one of the longest nights of Gibbs' life, and he was heartily relieved it was over. He settled Tony's head more comfortably on his chest, pressed a butterfly kiss into his hair and allowed himself to slip into the half sleep that a Marine called rest.

/\/\/\

Gibbs was disturbed about an hour later by Tony stirring in his arms.

"Gibbs?" The young man rasped, voice almost non-existent.

"Tony? You with me?"

"Think so. Water?"

"Here." Gibbs held a cup of slightly stale water one of the nurses had brought him in the night to his lips; Tony drank gratefully. "Not too much," Gibbs chided. "You'll feel sick again."

"Thanks, Boss. Um, Gibbs? Not that I'm complaining, but what are you doing here?"

"How much do you remember, Tony?" The young man frowned, straining to recall the previous night.

…_soft words… a song in the dark… cool hand on his burning brow… care and protection, driving away the bete noir… feeling safe… searching to come home, because there was someone calling him…_

"I remember…" he began tentatively, then hesitated. "You were here all night?"

"Pretty much. You feeling better?"

"I ache all over, my throat hurts, my chest hurts, my head's killing me… but yeah; I feel much better."

"Good," said Gibbs, pulling up the blanket up around him. "Go back to sleep."

"You're… not going to leave?" Asked Tony, disbelieving, almost pleading for reassurance.

"I'll be here when you wake up. Shh; just sleep. It's the best medicine there is."

"Not the best, Boss," Tony whispered, as his eyes began to close. Gibbs couldn't help but smile; Tony was safe; and he'd do whatever it took to keep him that way.

/\/\/\

So, what did you think? Was the song a bit too mushy?

Epilogue to come…


	6. Chapter 6

The final chapter at last. Massive thanks to everyone who's reviewed; I loved reading them. And it's mush o'clock again…

/\/\/\

The day had finally arrived. Tony made sure to be in extra early, dusted off Gibbs' desk, and had a fresh cup of coffee steaming by his computer.

All in all, the past three weeks had been just about the weirdest of his life. Gibbs had nursed him in the hospital, and then put Tony up in his spare room to keep an eye on him. The older man had seemed more relaxed than usual; perhaps the time off was doing him good. He'd let Abby and McGee set up Tony's TV in his living room, reheated Ziva's donations of soup and lasagne three times a day and talked Tony into eating at least half of it; nagging all the time about how much weight he'd lost lately and that he needed to keep his strength up. He'd even let Tony puppy dog him into watching a few DVDs from his collection.

Tony couldn't remember anyone ever taking this much care of him before; at least, not since his mother threw out his nanny when he was seven years old for daring to suggest that maybe she should try to go to his piano recital instead of shopping for shoes.

After two weeks, when he was completely well, Tony returned to work to take over temporary lead of the team until Gibbs' suspension was up. He found that suddenly people who'd always written him off as Gibbs' smartass sidekick were looking at him with respect; that he'd proved to the world he was a man worth taking notice of. Even the baggie bunnies were being nicer to him than usual.

And then there was that special evening, the last before he'd left for his own apartment, when Gibbs had led him down to the basement and taken down a battered Strawberry Shortcake tin from a shelf like it was something rare and precious.

/\/\/\

"What's this?" Tony asked, as the older man carefully lifted the rusted lid.

"Memories," Gibbs replied simply, handing him a photo. "That was taken at Kelly's eighth birthday party. She insisted on having a cake shaped like a heart; Shannon had to make a round one and then cut it out."

"Boss… You don't have to do this," Tony said, stunned. Gibbs had never even said Kelly's name in his hearing; and now he was handing around pictures?

"I know," the older man replied. "Haven't talked about them in years; but I should have done this a long time ago." He pulled out another photo. "Here's one of her at the piano; she played too. I still have some tapes they made to send to me when I was deployed."

"Let me guess; five of them?" said Tony, understanding dawning.

"Yeah," replied Gibbs. "Five. Kelly was pretty good; she won second prize in her recital not long after I left for Kuwait, and she'd only been playing a year or so."

"Impressive; I'd had three years worth of lessons before I got to perform in front of anyone."

"How old were you when you started?"

"Four. My mother wanted me to be one of those musical prodigies."

Gibbs stilled. "Kelly would have liked you," he said softly. "She always wanted a brother."

"Brother? Me?" Tony's eyes were wide with astonishment.

"Yeah, Tony; you," replied Gibbs earnestly.

"Listen, boss; I know you feel guilty about me getting sick, but…"

"Are you really this dumb or are you just trying to make me say it out loud?" Asked Gibbs, exasperated.

"Say what?" Asked Tony, totally confused.

Gibbs smacked him on the head, rolling his eyes. "For a smart man, you can be denser than a ton of lead sometimes." Tony just stared at him, not quite believing what he thought the man might mean until he read it from his eyes.

"Oh," said Tony, understanding beginning to dawn. "_Oh._ Really?"

"What, you thought I could see you every day for six years and not give a damn?"

"Well, of course not, Gibbs, but this… This, is really big. And it's not like you're a really touchy feely kinda guy or anything…"

"You saying you never knew how far I'd go for you?"

"All the way, Boss; but that's like a Marine thing. You'd go just as far for McGee or Ziva…"

"No. It's a parent thing. And I'd risk my life and my career for them, but I'd risk this for you. Because you're the closest thing I've got to a living child; and I am going to keep you that way. Clear?"

Tony could hardly believe his ears; Gibbs had never said anything like this to him before; he never opened up about himself and his feelings… and yet he had, for him. Tony understood just what a gift he'd been given by the older man; and he was not about to disappoint him.

"I… I gotcha… Dad," he said softly, a true smile breaking across his face.

Gibbs caught his breath at the word; it had been a very long time since anyone had called him that. He simply smiled, prouder than he could ever express of the young man who meant so much to him.

"So…" Tony said shyly. "Does this mean Abby's not your favourite any more?"

Gibbs reached over, but instead of the expected smack he simply ruffled Tony's hair. "She never was, Tony. She never was."

/\/\/\

Gibbs stepped into the bullpen, sighing with relief to be back in the familiar surroundings. He hadn't taken this much time off, with the exception of Mexico, in years. And yet, spending it with Tony had been so much better than being alone. It was nice to have someone to take care of for once.

Gibbs had known he had to come out and say how much Tony meant to him. The man had earned it a hundred times over; and he was aware how much damage his parent's indifference had inflicted on Tony.

In the end, it hadn't been a hard decision to rebury the time capsule. He'd been holding onto the past so tight for so long, he'd almost overlooked what he had in the present. His team was his family now; Tony especially. And he had a feeling Kelly would understand. He'd be reunited with her and Shannon soon enough; it was time to move on a little.

"Any problems, DiNozzo?" He asked briskly, rounding his desk and dropping into the seat.

"None, Boss. One case, closed easy. Reports are on your desk for you to read before I send them up to the Director," replied Tony happily. Gibbs finished his coffee in one long swallow and picked up the one Tony had brought him, sniffing it appreciatively. And then he noticed what it was sitting on; a CD case.

"What's this?" He asked.

"The wonders of modern technology, Boss. Cassette tapes wear out; CDs are a lot harder to break. And I put them on that iPod Abby gave you too, but I doubt you wanna learn how to use it."

"You put my tapes onto a CD?"

"Not just them. There was plenty of space over, so I added a couple tracks played by yours truly. Kinda a thanks for visiting me in the hospital, sort of thing," he added nervously.

Gibbs smiled fondly, in genuine pleasure. "Thank you, Tony," he said. "I appreciate it."

"You're welcome," Tony replied, glancing around and then dropping his voice. "Dad."

/\/\/\

Hope you liked it.


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